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Carrington’s Bar & Grill in Hamilton Hill won the Perth metropolitan title in WA’s Best Steak Sandwich competition in both 2024 and 2025. It did not win in 2026: The Last Local in Canning Vale took that year’s Perth metro title, with Carrington’s among the finalists.
What Carrington’s won—and when
The phrase “defends title for second year” describes Carrington’s 2025 victory, not the latest competition result. The venue first won the Perth metro category in 2024 with The TNT, then retained the title in 2025 with The Wild Thing, according to the Australian Hotels Association (WA) announcements.
In the 2026 competition, The Last Local in Canning Vale won the Perth metro category. Carrington’s was one of four metro finalists but did not take the title. The Exchange Hotel in Pinjarra won the Country WA category. AHA WA described the 2026 event as the competition’s 19th year, with more than 40 Perth venues and 16 regional venues entering.
What is in Carrington’s winning sandwich?
The Wild Thing: the 2025 winner
AHA WA’s account of the 2025 winning entry describes a 200g scotch fillet with candy bacon and beef bacon, Swiss cheese, rocket, tomato, onion and homemade barbecue sauce, served on Turkish bread with beer-battered chips and a fried pickle, also called a frickle. The venue’s menu, published in February 2026, describes it as toasted Turkish panini with scotch fillet, beef and candy bacon, Swiss cheese, onion, rocket, tomato and tangy homemade barbecue sauce, accompanied by chips and fried pickle. The descriptions differ in some wording; these are attributed versions, not a claim that the sandwich has remained unchanged.
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The February 2026 menu listed The Wild Thing at $29.50. That is a dated menu price, not a guarantee of today’s price or availability.
The TNT: the 2024 winner
Carrington’s menu describes The TNT as scotch fillet with crispy bacon, bourbon-infused toffee onion, rocket, barbecue aioli, Swiss cheese and a roasted capsicum blend in Turkish panini, served with peri-peri chips. The menu labels the dish as containing nuts, which is worth checking directly with the venue if you have an allergy.
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How the latest winner compares on the published criteria
The 2026 Perth metro winner, The Last Local’s sandwich, was described by AHA WA as Scotch fillet on toasted sourdough with maple candied bacon, crunchy onions, smoky aioli, rocket, tomato and melted cheese, served with chips and a wedge of deep-fried Camembert.
The two sandwiches can be compared by their listed components, but the award results do not establish a direct head-to-head tasting. The published competition criteria offer a more useful framework:
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- RESOURCES: UL approved with advanced safety technology for long lasting durability, & 1-year assurance provided by Chefman, so you can purchase worry-free - we've got your back! For information on how to use your product, scroll down for a PDF User Guide. 1000 Watts/120 Volts - RJ02-180
- Meat: Both descriptions name Scotch or scotch fillet. The published descriptions do not provide comparable tenderness assessments.
- Toppings and texture: The Wild Thing pairs two kinds of bacon with Swiss cheese and salad vegetables; The Last Local’s version combines maple candied bacon and crunchy onions with cheese, rocket and tomato.
- Bread and presentation: Carrington’s uses Turkish bread or Turkish panini, depending on the description; The Last Local uses toasted sourdough and adds a wedge of fried Camembert.
- Sauce and flavour: The Wild Thing is served with homemade barbecue sauce, while The Last Local’s uses smoky aioli. The ingredient lists alone cannot establish which tastes better.
- Sides and value: Both descriptions include chips. The 2026 published account does not state The Last Local’s price, so the available figures do not support a like-for-like value comparison.
How WA’s Best Steak Sandwich competition works
AHA WA says entries must use beef or lamb as the main protein, remain consistent through nomination, public voting and the cook-off, and be available on the menu during the competition period. Public voting and mystery judge visits determine finalists; judges then assess the finalists in a live cook-off.
The 2026 published judging criteria covered meat tenderness; composition and presentation; originality and creativity; the quality of the chips; sauces; overall flavour; and value for money. AHA WA CEO and Chief Steak Sandwich Judge Bradley Woods called the competition “a celebration of how far the humble steak sandwich has evolved in WA, particularly when it comes to fangability,” in the organisation’s 1 July 2026 announcement.
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Where to find Carrington’s Bar & Grill
Carrington’s Bar & Grill is at 330 Carrington Street, Hamilton Hill, WA 6163. Its official site lists kitchen hours as 11:30am–8:30pm daily. Menu prices, availability and hours can change, so confirm with the venue before travelling.
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Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
